


We Know Where We're Going

by ravaged_by_fandom



Series: Us Against the World [3]
Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blow Jobs, Everybody Lives, First Time Blow Jobs, M/M, Multi, Road Trips
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-11-03
Packaged: 2020-11-25 18:35:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20916683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ravaged_by_fandom/pseuds/ravaged_by_fandom
Summary: After defeating Pennywise, the Losers recuperate and decide to go on a road trip to visit Stan the Man as he recovers from his suicide attempt.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title from "Road to Nowhere" by Talking Heads

Richie sat in the uncomfortable, plastic hospital chair, holding Eddie’s hand as his shoulder wound was disinfected by a nurse. Mike and Bill were in the next room over getting Mike’s arm stitched up. Beverly and Ben were waiting for them in the foyer.

“How exactly did this happen?” the nurse asked as she retrieved clean dressings.

Eddie immediately looked at Richie with panic in his eyes, but Richie easily lied, “Motorcycle accident.”

“Oh?” The nurse looked Eddie over with an arched eyebrow.

Eddie had scoffed at first, but seeing the look from the nurse made him double down. “Yeah, left my leather jacket at home. Big mistake.”

“Huge,” Richie deadpanned. Eddie kicked Richie’s knee.

The nurse rolled her eyes and began to cover Eddie’s now squeaky clean wound.

“Am I going to need a skin graft?”

“Probably not,” the nurse answered. “Its shallow enough. Keep it clean, go to your doctor if its not healing properly. It’ll make a nasty scar, though.”

Eddie frowned as he peered at his shoulder.

Richie squeezed his hand reassuringly. “It’s a badge of honor, Eds.” Eddie offered him a small smile.

They met the others in the entrance to the ER; Mike’s arm bearing a fresh bandage and Eddie with enough prescriptions to open up his own pharmacy. Ben drove everyone back to the Town House, where they all dispersed to collect their things and get the heck out of dodge.

“You need help?” Richie asked as he and Eddie stood outside their doors.

“No, it’ll just take me a minute. Go ahead and shower.”

They shared a brief kiss before parting.

Eddie closed the door behind him gently and took a deep breath. Looking around the room, he saw his belongings scattered about, his blood dotting the threadbare carpet; it felt like a lifetime ago. He lifted his left hand to peer at his palm, now free of the scar that perplexed him for so long. His wedding band glinted in the sun; he removed it and left it on the nightstand while he packed his things. He needed to call Myra, but he had no idea how to explain all of this madness to her. Maybe he didn’t need to explain himself at all. Maybe a simple, “I’m gay,” would suffice.

He stepped over the small pools of blood that had dried on the bathroom tiles to collect his toiletries. Bottle after bottle of pills. _Gazebos,_ he had called them as a kid. He took no joy dumping their contents into the toilet, but he did feel an immense sense of relief as he flushed them all away.

Eddie left his suitcases in the hall and let himself into Richie’s room. He could hear the shower running, and knocked gently on the bathroom door before entering.

“That you, Spaghetti?” Richie called from behind the shower curtain.

“Who else would it be?” Eddie replied, eyebrows furrowed. “Who else wants to see you naked?”

Whatever smart remark Richie was cooking up died on his tongue. He stuck his soapy head out from behind the curtain, looking dumbstruck. “You want to see me naked?”

The expression on Eddie’s face must have been a mixture of horror and disbelief as Richie immediately scowled. “Look, this is all very new to me,” Richie groused. “Until a few hours ago, I didn’t know you even wanted to kiss me.”

Eddie chuckled fondly and kissed Richie. “Well, now you know.”

“Does this mean you want to fuck me, too?”

Eddie rolled his eyes and shoved Richie’s head back into the shower.

“Cause that’s been my wet dream since I learned how to jerk off!”

“So since yesterday?”

“I can’t believe I get to spend the rest of my life with someone as obnoxious as you.”

Eddie smiled at the prospect. “Hurry up, I want to take a shower, too! My bathroom is still covered in blood.”

“You could join me if you want?” Richie sounded playful, but there was an undertone of nervousness.

“You have no idea how much I want that, but then we might be up here too long. I’m pretty sure the others want out of here as much as we do.” He began stripping off his grimy clothing and chucking it in the corner of the bathroom. There was no salvaging it, anyway.

“Yeah, right,” Richie scoffed. “There’s no way Ben and Bev aren’t fucking each other’s brains out right now-”

Eddie pulled back the curtain suddenly, blasting Richie with cool air and causing him to yelp from shock. Richie’s eyes bugged out as he took in Eddie’s nude body.

“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath.

“Scoot,” Eddie instructed, climbing into the tub as Richie made room. He stood under the spray and closed his eyes, letting the warm water wash away the majority of the grime. When he opened his eyes, Richie was still staring at him. “You ok there, trashmouth?”

Richie finally shook himself out of it and stammered, “You’re fucking gorgeous.”

“You don’t have to say that,” Eddie murmured as he began to lather up. “I already like you.”

“But I mean it,” Richie replied. He reached out tentatively and placed his hands on Eddie’s biceps. “Sorry, this is a bit new to me.”

“Don’t tell me you’re a virgin after all that trash talk when we were kids.”

“No, of course not, but … I’ve never …” His eyes cast downward. “I’ve never been with a man before.”

Eddie felt fondness and sadness overcome him. He ran his hands down Richie’s chest. “Rich, its ok. It’s just me. It’s just us.”

Richie looked back up and smiled. Eddie pulled him in for a kiss.

“Wait, have you been with a man?”

“I had a fling or two in college.”

“How did you end up being less repressed than me?”

“It’s not like I didn’t put myself firmly back into the closet.”

“This is bullshi-”

Eddie kissed him again, weaving one hand into Richie’s hair while the other brushed over his chest. Richie was so deliciously hairy; Eddie loved it. Just as things were getting heated, and loud banging came from the door to Richie’s room.

“Richie!” Beverly called.

“C’mon, I w-wanna get out of this h-hell hole!” Bill yelled.

Richie groaned in frustration, and it went straight to Eddie’s dick, but there was nothing they could do about it for now.

“Fucking cockblocks,” Richie grumbled as they rinsed off.

After they stepped out of the shower, Richie rebandaged Eddie’s shoulder and they both got dressed before gracing the others with their presence. Ben, Bev, Bill, and Mike were all waiting in the foyer with their luggage, freshly showered.

“You guys couldn’t have waited fifteen more minutes? I’ve got the worst case of blue balls …”

“Beep beep, Richie,” Beverly laughed.

“So where are we headed?” Eddie asked, blushing faintly.

“Back to my place,” Mike replied.

“Isn’t that technically a crime scene?” Richie asked.

“Its Derry,” Mike shrugged. “Everything got cleaned up last night before we killed It. No questions asked.”

Richie scoffed. “I have a suggestion: how about we get the fuck outta this town?”

“Its dead now,” Ben shrugged. “We don’t have to run away any more.”

The six of them shoved their belongings into Mike’s trunk, then piled into the car. Beverly sat on Ben’s lap; Eddie and Richie intertwined their fingers in the back seat. They abandoned all of the rental cars in the hotel parking lot; that was the beauty of renting from Enterprise. On the way to the library, they grabbed a couple of family size portions from the local Italian restaurant.

True to Mike’s word, the library was spotless; all traces of Henry Bowers and the decimated Native American artifacts were nowhere to be found, and there were no cops waiting to question them. Eddie wondered how long it would take for the fog of Pennywise to clear and return the town to normal, but he also realized he didn’t care; he never wanted to come back to this place. Home was where the Losers were; home was with Richie. Derry didn’t mean anything to him any more.

Once in Mike’s loft, the six of them cleared off the large table of all of the research into Pennywise and the history of Derry; it wasn’t needed any more. Plates were handed out and piled with pasta, and they sat down to eat and tell each other about their lives. Bill showed them pictures of his wife; Beverly talked about starting her own fashion line without her soon-to-be-ex-husband; Mike said he was excited to actually start his life now. It was warm and pleasant and the happiest any of them had been in awhile.

Afterwards, they piled onto the mismatched furniture Mike had set up as his “living room” to watch _Ghostbusters II_ and reminisced about seeing it in the theater that fateful summer.

Eddie pressed his shoulder to Richie’s and rested his head against him. Richie pressed a gentle kiss into his hair.

“So when are we gonna visit Stan?” Richie finally asked.

The others fell silent for a moment.

“I mean, technically I’m free now …” Beverly eventually replied. “My whole life is upside down right now, so what does it matter?” She laughed.

“I can do all of my work remotely,” Ben added.

Bill scrunched up his face. “I’m p-pretty sure they’ve rewritten the ending w-without me, so …” He shrugged.

Mike also shrugged. “I don’t have anywhere to be.”

Richie looked at Eddie, who frowned and sat up. “I mean … I need to quit my job and divorce my wife, but that can wait, I guess.”

“Quit your job?” Richie asked.

“Well, duh. How else am I supposed to move to LA?”

Richie looked shocked for a moment before grabbing Eddie’s face with both hands and pulling him in for a kiss.

"What the fuck did you think was gonna happen?" Eddie scoffed. Richie merely shrugged, grinning ear to ear, too happy to be snarky.

“Well, that settles that,” Mike chuckled.

“When should we leave?” Ben asked. “Tomorrow?”

“We’ll need to look for flights,” Bev answered. “And I’ll need to call Patty. I don’t want the six of us to show up unannounced.”

“How about you let me take care of the transportation,” Richie said.

Bill arched an eyebrow.

“Just trust me.”

“Why do I have a bad feeling about this?” Ben asked.

“So what are the sleeping arrangements?” Richie interrupted, changing the subject.

“A very bad feeling,” Ben chuckled into Beverly’s ear. She giggled in response.

“Well, there are two bedrooms, including mine,” Mike replied, but then looked between the two newly minted couples. “I’d be happy to sleep on one of the couches out here …”

“Oh, Mike, we won’t put you out of your room just to sleep together-” Beverly began.

But Richie was already on his feet, hauling Eddie up by the hand. “Pfft, I fucking will. I’ve been dreaming of this since I was thirteen.” And with that, he walked briskly to the nearest bedroom. Eddie threw an apologetic look over his shoulder, but he wasn’t really that sorry. He could hear them all laughing as Richie closed the door behind him.

“Richie, that was-” But he couldn’t even finish before Richie was on him, kissing him gently, but insistently. Eddie rolled his eyes, but deepened the kiss, holding on to Richie’s biceps for dear life.

“Sorry, Eds,” Richie murmured between kisses. “We don’t even have to do anything.” Another kiss. “I just want to hold you.” They fell onto the bed and shared a few more kisses before Richie leaned back to stare at Eddie. “I just … can’t believe this is real. I loved you so much when we were kids, and then I forgot you, forgot everything, but … there was always this void, in my fucking soul, and I couldn’t fill it with anything; not booze or drugs or women. Trust me, I fucking tried. And then I saw you in that godforsaken Chinese restaurant, and I just knew. It was you. It’s always been you.” Tears began to well up in his eyes. “And then I almost fucking lost you-”

“But you didn’t,” Eddie replied, feeling the sting of tears in his own eyes. “You didn’t, and I’m right here, and I’m never leaving your side again. That goddamn clown made us forget each other, and I made so many mistakes ...”

Richie kissed him again. Eddie rucked up Richie’s shirt to run his hands over smooth skin, and Richie cupped Eddie’s ass through his slacks.

“I just can’t believe I get to have you,” Richie whispered. “It feels so surreal.”

“Do you want to hear something ridiculous?”

“Is it the fact that you find me attractive, cause that’s just rude-”

Eddie pinched Richie’s arm, causing him to yelp. “I watched your stand-up. A lot. Myra hated it, but I couldn’t keep away.”

“Aw, Eds, do you really find me that funny?”

“No,” Eddie replied, causing Richie to frown. “Not your stand-up, at least. Your timing was always great, and you’re very charming, but it was like something was off, but I didn’t know what because I didn’t remember you. Now I know those weren’t your jokes … And yet I couldn’t shake the crush I had developed. Maybe some part of me deep down remembered. Or maybe I just have a type.”

Richie stared at Eddie for several long moments. “You had a crush on me? Even when you didn’t remember me?”

“Yeah ... Is that weird?”

“Its fucking hot!” He wrapped a large hand behind Eddie’s head and kissed him again. They made out lazily for a bit, just exploring each other’s bodies with their hands. Eddie wrapped a leg over Richie’s hips, causing Richie to groan into Eddie’s mouth and grab his thigh.

But then Eddie hissed in pain, and Richie immediately pulled back.

“Are you ok?”

“Yeah, just my shoulder …”

“Oh, shit. Here-” Richie gently rearranged them so that Eddie’s injured shoulder was no longer pressed to the mattress. “Better?”

“Yeah, thanks,” Eddie smiled.

Richie fell silent for a moment, looking unsure. “Is it ok if we just hold each other for tonight?”

Eddie frowned. “Of course, it is. We have the rest of our lives, right?”

Richie grinned. “Right.” And he knew it to be true. An indisputable fact. Nothing could ever take his Eddie from him again.

They pulled apart to shuck their outer layers until they were both down to boxers, Richie placing his glasses on the bedside table, then climbed under the covers together. Richie pulled Eddie to him so they were chest to back and wrapped his arms around him, burying his face in Eddie’s soft, dark hair. “I love you.”

Eddie laced their fingers together. “I love you, too.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating's gone up, so be mindful of that ;)

Richie woke up to Eddie’s hair still in his face, only they had shifted in the night, and Eddie was nearly sprawled on top of him, snoring peacefully. He was so fucking content, but he also had to pee. He gently caressed Eddie’s bare back until he awoke with a snort.

“Wha time issit?” Eddie asked groggily.

“No idea. In case you forgot, I’m legally blind. C’mon, scooch over, I have to piss.”

Eddie groaned and buried his face into Richie’s neck.

“What if I promise to blow you when I get back?”

Eddie pushed himself up onto his elbows to stare down at Richie, suddenly awake. “Have you ever even done that before?”

“No, but I gotta start somewhere, right?”

Eddie kissed him, but they both immediately recoiled at their morning breath.

“Maybe we should brush our teeth first,” Richie suggested.

Eddie chuckled as he climbed off of Richie and the bed. Richie grabbed his glasses from the side table and followed him into the attached bathroom.

Richie flipped up the toilet seat and relieved himself. They’d peed around each other all the time as kids, so it wasn’t weird. Kinda domestic, actually.

“Fuck, our stuff is in the living room,” Eddie murmured. “Be right back.” He returned shortly with their toiletry bags and set to brushing his teeth.

Once Richie was done, he stepped behind Eddie and crowded him against the sink, reaching around him to wash his hands.

“Stiw as obnowous, I swee,” Eddie managed around his toothbrush.

Richie laughed. “You love it.”

Eddie spit out the toothpaste, then pecked Richie on the cheek, leaving some residue on his stubble. “I do.”

“And you say I’m the obnoxious one,” Richie chuckled as he wiped his face off.

Eddie rinsed his mouth, then made way for Richie. “Hurry up. I wanna see what that trashmouth can really do.” He slapped Richie on the ass and left the bathroom.

Richie was already filling out his boxers, and a blush began to spread on his cheeks. Grown up Eddie was really, really, _really_ hot. He made quick work of brushing his teeth.

When he reentered the bedroom, Eddie was leaning against the headboard in the middle of the bed, sans boxers, erection in hand. Richie was flabbergasted and couldn’t get rid of his own boxers quick enough. He climbed onto the bed and in between Eddie’s spread legs.

“Do you have any idea how gorgeous you are?” Richie asked in awe. “I can’t believe I get to fucking have you.”

Eddie pulled him in for a kiss. “You’re going to have to get used to it eventually.”

“Will I? I’m pretty sure I’m gonna wake up every day wondering if I’m back in the sad reality of us not even knowing each other.”

Sadness flashed over Eddie’s face, but was quickly replaced by fondness. “C’mon, you hairy hunk, show me what you got.”

Richie beamed at that, and began to kiss his way down Eddie’s chest. He wasn’t nearly as hairy as Richie, but chest hair was still very much present, and it was sexy as fuck. He continued to press kisses down Eddie’s surprisingly fit stomach until he reached his cock. And it was a great cock; circumsized, decent length, not too girthy. And of course Eddie’s pubes were well-maintained.

Richie thought back to the handful of blowjobs he’d received from one night stands, and the occasional gay porn he’d watch before the fear set in again. He licked the head tentatively. Eddie groaned above him, emboldening him. He took the head into his mouth and sucked.

“Fuck, Rich, that’s so good.”

Richie took more of him into his mouth, doing his best to keep his teeth covered. _How did porn stars make this look so effortless?_ While gently bobbing his head, he grabbed one of Eddie’s hands and set it on his own head. Eddie immediately tightened his fingers in Richie’s hair, which caused a pleasant sting on his scalp. He began to pick up the pace while running his hands over every inch of Eddie’s body he could reach. Eddie’s hips stuttered beneath him, clearing trying not to fuck his face. He appreciated it because he was sure he wasn’t skilled enough for that; maybe someday. Eddie’s hushed moans of pleasure made his own cock leak onto the sheets beneath him.

He was starting to sweat, which caused his glasses to slip down his nose. He tried to push them up onto his head, and Eddie gently removed them and placed them on the mattress.

“Tanks,” Richie attempted, his mouth still very full.

“Fuck, do that again,” Eddie hissed.

Richie swallowed and hummed deeply in the back of his throat.

“Oh god … Richie, I’m gonna … I’m gonna cum.”

Richie debated pulling off and jerking him to his climax, but decided he might as well get the full experience, and so took Eds as deep as he could. Eddie’s fingers tightened painfully in his hair, and he came with a low growl. It was quite possibly the hottest thing Richie had ever experienced. He swallowed Eddie’s cum dutifully, then pulled off with a wet _pop_.

“Shit, Rich, that was … so … fucking good,” Eddie managed between heaving breaths.

Richie had rolled over onto his back and was staring at the blurry ceiling, his cock still achingly hard. That had probably been the best sexual experience of his life, and he hadn’t even touched his erection.

“Are you ok?” Eddie asked, his concerned face appearing in Richie’s field of vision.

“I’m fucking fantastic,” Richie smiled.

Eddie sighed in relief. “Looks like that trash mouth is good for something after all.”

“Fucking rude,” Richie scoffed sarcastically.

Eddie kissed him deeply, which surprised Richie, but he happily kissed him back. “Your turn, asshole. Get up here.”

They quickly switched places, Richie’s shoulders now pressed against the headboard. He grabbed for his glasses so he could see Eddie properly. Eddie flopped onto his belly between Richie’s legs.

“You’ve got a great ass. Has anyone ever told you that?”

Eddie smirked and wrapped his hand around the base of Richie’s cock. “Bear with me, it’s been awhile.”

“You just took my mouth virginity; I’m sure anything will be better than what I did.”

Eddie rolled his eyes and took Richie into his mouth. Richie was pretty sure his eyes were crossing. What he wanted to say was that any blowjob from Eddie would be the best he’d ever received, but Eddie was actually doing very well, and Richie was no longer capable of coherent thought. His hands grasped awkwardly at his own thighs, unsure if Eddie wanted the same treatment. He was pleasantly surprised when Eddie took hold of his hands and laced their fingers together.

The wet heat of Eddie’s mouth around his cock was excruciatingly pleasurable, and Richie already felt his climax pooling in the bottom of his stomach. He willed himself to last longer, but just watching his cock disappear past Eddie’s lips was nearly enough to tip him over. He could feel a powerful orgasm building; the kind that almost scared him with its promised intensity. His muscles clenched rhythmically and he gulped deep breaths of air. He barely managed to get out, “Eddie, I’m-” before he was coming down Eddie’s throat.

When his brain finally turned back on, Eddie was smiling fondly up at him while caressing his thigh. “You ok?” he asked.

Richie blinked several times before finally saying, “I think so.”

“Well, if the others weren’t awake before, they certainly are now,” Eddie chuckled.

“What do you mean?”

“You legit screamed my name.”

“Really!?”

“That good, huh?”

“Fuck, Eds, that was … Phew …”

Eddie laughed and they both leaned in for another kiss. Richie could taste the bitterness of his climax on Eddie’s tongue, and it was almost enough to get him hard again.

“Next time, will you fuck me?” Richie murmured against his lips.

“Really?”

“Yeah, definitely. I want that.”

“I want that, too,” Eddie smiled.

Richie climbed off the bed and hoisted his luggage onto the end. “Ok, I need to figure out our transportation situation,” he announced.

Eddie’s eyebrows furrowed. “What exactly do you have planned?”

“It’s a surprise,” Richie winked.

“Well, while you’re doing that, I’m gonna call Myra. My phone’s been off ever since I set foot in Derry.”

“Wow, calling your wife right after I gave my virginity to you. That’s cold, Kaspbrak,” Richie deadpanned.

Eddie threw a pillow at Richie’s head, but he managed to duck out of the way. “I have to call her at some point. Might as well do it now.”

Richie buttoned his jeans, then looked at Eddie fondly. “Are you sure you want to do it alone?”

Eddie nodded. “She’s my wife; I need to just man up and do it.”

Richie bit his lip, but continued to get dressed.

“Is that a bigfoot shirt?”

“What? You don’t like my little sasquatches?” He flashed a goofy grin, then leaned across the bed to give Eddie a quick peck goodbye. Right before he opened the bedroom door, he grew solemn. “Hey, there’s something I want to show you … Before we leave town.”

Eddie frowned. “Yeah, of course.”

Richie brightened. “Alright, babe! Love ya! See ya later!”

“Love you, too, idiot.”

Richie swung open the door and Eddie rushed to cover himself with the duvet. As the door swung shut, he saw Richie hold his arms out and shout, “Guess who just had sex!?”

He could hear the others groaning through the door. Bill said, “C-congratulations, asshole.” Mike added, “Only took you forty years.”

“You guys just aren’t supportive at all!” Richie shouted indignantly before leaving.

Eddie rummaged through his pant’s pockets to find his phone, sighed heavily, and pushed the power button. As soon as the power up graphics faded, his phone began buzzing and chiming non-stop. Dozens of texts, voicemails, and missed calls flashed across his screen. Every last one of them was from Myra. He quickly scrolled through the texts, not reading any at length, but getting the gist of it. Concern morphing into anger into full blown panic and rage. He felt like an asshole, but to be honest, the last 72 hours of his life had been a chaotic mess that he’d never be able to explain to an outsider.

He took a deep breath and dialed Myra’s number. It rang twice before going to voicemail. He stared at his phone, baffled, when suddenly his screen lit up with an incoming facetime call. In his panic, he accidentally hit “answer” and there she was, glowering at him through the tiny screen. It was at that moment he remembered he was still naked.

“Hey there-” he began awkwardly, but Myra cut him off.

“Edward, what the fuck!? I haven’t been able to reach you for days! I thought you were dead!”

“I know, Myra, and I’m sorry-”

“What the hell happened to your face?” Her voice cracked and her bottom lip quivered.

Eddie then also remembered the butterfly bandages holding his cheek together. “Nothing, it’s no big deal-”

“No big deal? What hospital did you go to? Did they take your insurance? Did you tell them about your allergy to sulfa drugs? Who’s washing your wound for you-”

“Myra!” Eddie finally shouted. “Please calm down. I am alright.”

Myra fell silent for only a moment. “Where are you? I’m coming to get you _now_.”

“I’m with my friends-”

“What friends?”

“Friends from my hometown, ok?”

“I don’t even know who these people are, Eddie bear! And they obviously let you get hurt-”

Eddie squeezed his eyes shut. “Myra, I’m not coming home.”

Myra fell into stunned silence. “Excuse me?”

“I’m not … I’m not coming home. Being with my friends has made me realize some things about myself. Things that I always knew, but didn’t want to admit to myself until now.” He took another deep breath. “I’m gay. And I’ve met someone. I ... I want a divorce.” He opened his eyes to find Myra staring at him emotionlessly.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Her voice had a dangerous edge to it.

Eddie laughed hysterically. “Yeah, I think I do.”

“He won’t stay with you. _They_ never do. It’s not in their nature. And then you’ll come crawling back to me because I’m the only one who can take care of you.”

Eddie’s eye twitched out of anger. “I’ll be contacting a divorce lawyer. Goodbye, Myra.” He hung up before she could respond. When she immediately tried to call him back, he turned his phone off again and tossed it onto the bed. He let his head fall back against the headboard with a _thunk_, and covered his face with his hands. Hopefully, the worst was over.

He eventually got dressed, brushed his teeth again, and went out into the living area to greet the others. Mike was at the stove making eggs for everyone. Bill was fighting with Mike’s ancient coffee machine. Ben and Beverly were sitting at the table, reading the newspaper.

Beverly smiled gently when she saw him. “Everything ok, sweetie?”

“Yeah,” Eddie nodded, but he was frowning. “I just had to call my wife.”

Beverly gave him a knowing look. Soon they’d both be divorcees. It was a bittersweet connection, but he knew they’d both get through it.

“Thanks for the wake up call this morning,” Ben joked, raising his eyebrows.

Eddie scratched nervously at the back of his head. “Yeah, sorry about that …”

“St-Stan’s gonna have a f-fit,” Bill said as he sat down with a fresh pot of coffee and poured everyone a mugful.

“What do you mean?” Eddie asked.

“He was the first to notice this thing between you two,” Mike explained. He place a platter of eggs and stack of plates onto the table before sitting down and accepting a mug from Bill.

Eddie was mortified. “What?”

“Yep,” Beverly nodded. “One day that summer he just started complaining about how oblivious you both were; said you needed to get your heads out of each other’s asses.” She giggle-snorted. “And I remember being so confused, but then I started paying more attention. I was shocked by how obvious it was.”

Ben was nodding along sagely with Beverly’s story.

“I almost find it hard to b-b-believe it took y-you so long. Almost.”

Eddie pressed his palm to his forehead. “So you’re saying you all knew?”

All four nodded.

“And none of you cared? That we're … gay?”

“Of course not,” Beverly exclaimed, almost offended.

“Hindsight’s a bitch,” he muttered to himself.

“I know exactly what you mean.” Beverly looked fondly at Ben, who placed a gentle hand on her leg.

Bill cleared his throat. “S-sit down, Eddie. Eat some eggs. I’m s-sure you’re hungry after …” He raised his eyebrows, and everyone laughed.

Eddie rolled his eyes as he sat down and grabbed a plate. “I’m gonna have to buy him a gag.”

“Kinky,” Ben muttered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone's enjoying this so far!


	3. Chapter 3

Richie returned 45 minutes later, announcing his arrival by repeatedly honking the horn of the vehicle he had acquired. The Losers went to the circular window overlooking the library’s parking lot and saw it: a small RV with a 1-800 number advertising RV rentals printed on its broad side. Richie stepped out of the cabin and held his arms out proudly, grinning up at them like a loon.

The collective groan could probably be heard across the entire state of Maine.

The five of them made their way outside to find Richie leaned against the side of the RV.

“So … Whatcha think?”

Beverly laughed. “You’re ridiculous.”

“You want us to drive to Atlanta?” Eddie asked.

“Have you ever even driven one of these th-things?” Bill added incredulously.

“No, but it’s not that big,” Richie answered. “C’mon, it’ll be fun.”

Mike, however, had a huge grin to match Ritchie’s. He opened up the side door and a small step popped out. He chuckled and stepped inside.

“See! Mike’s into it!” Richie also stepped in, and the others followed.

It was surprisingly big inside. There was a loft bed above the driver/passenger seats, a kitchenette with a two person table, a full size bed, and small bathroom with a sliding door. Every inch was covered in dated wood paneling, and the furniture was upholstered in the most garish, pastel 90s fabric any of them had ever seen.

“Technically it’s a five person RV, but I thought if we drove and slept in rotations, we could make it work,” Richie explained. “Shouldn’t take more than a few days.”

Everyone stood quietly for several long moments before Ben quietly started chanting, “Road trip, road trip, road trip-”

Mike joined in, then Eddie, and soon all six of them were repeatedly yelling “ROAD TRIP!” in the small space.

“Yes! I knew this was a good idea!” Richie cheered. “Let’s go get our shit!”

As everyone hefted their luggage out to the RV, Richie knocked gently on the frame of Mike’s door. Mike was inside his room packing his own suitcase. “Hey, man, can I ask a favor?”

“Sure,” Mike smiled.

“Can I borrow your car for like, thirty minutes? I need to show Eddie something. I promise to gas it up.”

Mike looked at him knowingly. “Of course.” He pulled the keys out of his pocket and tossed them at Richie, who fumbled to catch them. “Just park it behind the library when you get back.”

“Thanks.” Richie watched Mike pack for a minute. “That’s a nice suitcase. Mine looks like its been through a meat grinder.”

Mike smiled somberly. “I’ve never gotten to use it before.”

“Never?”

Mike shook his head. “Never even stepped outside the county limits.”

Richie was shocked and saddened, but it made sense. “You’re a good guy, Mike. Keeping an eye on things while the rest of us fucked off …”

“I don’t blame any of you. There’s a big world out there.”

“I’m glad you get to see it with us now.”

“Me, too.”

“And I’m sorry for being a shit to you after the fortune cookie ... incident.”

Mike snorted. “Its ok. Fear affects us all differently.”

Richie closed the distance between them, enveloping Mike in a solid hug. He made sure to add some “no homo” back slaps. “We’ll be back within the hour.”

Back in the living room, Richie slapped Eddie on the ass. “C’mon, spaghetti! We got one last errand to run.”

Eddie rolled his eyes but followed him out to Mike’s car. “So where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise.”

They drove in comfortable silence to the outskirts of Derry. The closer they came to their destination, the more nervous Richie became. Which was ridiculous; he and Eddie had already confessed their feelings and even fooled around, but this was such a deeply buried part of Richie. He felt like he was about to truly expose himself. He felt Eddie shift next to him as they approached the old covered bridge.

“The Kissing Bridge?” Eddie murmured.

Richie parked the car at the end and stepped out. Eddie followed him, his eyes scanning the carved beams. He nearly ran into Richie when Richie stopped short of his addition to the dozens of hand carved love confessions.

“I came here after you broke your arm,” Richie began. “I thought we’d finally fucked it up, and Mrs. K was never going to let me see you again. To be honest, that scared me more than any stupid fucking clown.” He took Eddie’s hand and lead him to the spot, then kneeled down and traced his fingers over the faded _R + E_.

Eddie kneeled next to him, grinning widely. “You fuckin’ … brave, beautiful boy.” He looked at Richie with so much fondness and love, Richie feared he might drown in it. “Did you ever notice this?” He pointed at the next beam down. On it was a capital _R_ within a crudely carved heart.

“No fucking way,” Richie breathed, his heart pounding.

Eddie nodded, still smiling. “I saw the R + E, but I was too scared to believe it was you. I didn’t want to get my hopes up. But I think, deep down, I always knew.”

“I fucking love you, Eduardo.”

“I love you, too.”

They kissed softly before Richie’s knees popped loudly.

“Oh god, I’m an old man,” he muttered as Eddie helped him to his feet.

“We’re gonna get you some glucosamine tablets.”

“But that’s admitting defeat.”

“I need to keep you flexible as long as possible,” Eddie smirked.

“Do you think they’ll notice if we fuck in the RV?”

Eddie laughed. “Probably.”

“Damn.”

They got back in Mike’s car and headed back towards town.

“Do you think Mike has a cover for this?” Eddie mused.

“What, like a tarp?”

Eddie shrugged. “Something. Who knows how long it’ll be parked at the library. That’s just asking for sun damage.”

They stopped at the small hardware store on the main drag and bought a painter’s tarp, then gassed up before returning to the library. When they pulled into the parking lot, their friends were loading the last of the luggage into the storage compartments on the outside of the RV. Richie drove the car behind the library and parked it close to the building. He and Eddie unfolded the tarp and draped it carefully over the vehicle.

Richie returned Mike’s keys, then clambered into the driver’s seat of the RV. Mike took shotgun, Bill and Eddie claimed the dining table, and Ben and Beverly reclined on the bed.

Richie looked over at Mike. “Shotgun has to navigate.”

Mike pulled out his phone, then looked at Beverly. “Did you call Patty?”

Beverly sat up. “Yeah, she says we’re ok to visit.”

“Did she give you an address?”

Beverly typed something into her phone, then Mike’s phone chimed with a text containing the hospital information.

“How’s Stan doing?” Bill asked.

“She said he’s still pretty out of it,” Beverly replied. “Doesn’t remember much of that day, but he’s improving. The doctors don’t think there’s any permanent damage.”

Everyone fell quiet with worry for their friend.

Mike’s phone began to robotically dictate directions.

“Let’s get the fuck outta Derry,” Richie muttered. He slowly maneuvered the large vehicle out of the parking lot and onto the main thoroughfare.

Everyone quietly watched out the windows as they made their way through Derry. Past the old movie theater, Keene’s pharmacy, Beverly’s apartment, the fairgrounds. Long forgotten memories, now clearer than ever. Seven troubled childhoods made joyful by their friendship.

Soon the buildings gave way to forest and the Barrens ran parallel to the road.

“Are you excited to finally leave Derry?” Richie asked Mike.

“Kinda nervous actually,” he replied, fidgeting in the passenger seat.

“N-nervous?” Bill raised an eyebrow.

“When you all left, you forgot … everything,” Mike explained. “I guess I’m just worried it might happen again.”

“You tell us that now!?” Richie exclaimed.

“I don’t want to lose you guys again …” Mike choked out.

“Its dead,” Beverly said firmly. “I don’t think It has that power over us anymore.”

“I hope so,” Mike murmured.

Richie’s grip tightened on the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. He didn’t want to lose them again, either. Especially Eddie. He didn’t think he’d survive it. When he saw the green “leaving Derry” sign in the distance, he glanced at Eddie over his shoulder. Eddie was watching him with a similarly concerned expression.

It felt like everyone was holding their breath as they passed the sign.

_Now Leaving Derry  
We’ll Miss You!_

Nothing seemed to happen. Nothing felt different. Richie’s memories were as sharp as they’d been since he’d returned. “Well,” he broke the silence, “I still have a huge hard-on for Eddie, so …”

The tension broke and everyone began to laugh in relief.

“You really missed an opportunity there, Rich,” Eddie teased.

“Oh yeah, funny guy?”

Eddie looked around in mock confusion. “Who- who are you people!?”

Everyone cracked up and Richie grinned. “Keep that up, and you’ll be writing my next stand-up routine,” Richie threatened.

“Maybe then you’d actually be funny,” Ben scoffed, causing more fits of laughter.

Mike’s phone called out more directions, and Mike relaxed into his seat as Richie guided the RV onto the interstate.


	4. Chapter 4

After nearly four hours of driving, it was time to gas up. They were officially out of Maine, and they all agreed they hadn’t felt this happy and free in years. It’s influence had officially dissipated, but their memories and friendship were intact.

The Losers stopped at the first gas station they saw after Richie realized the tank was on _E_ and promptly panicked. They all agreed to purchase gas on a rotation; Bill went first. As he gassed up, the others went inside to stock up on snacks and drinks.

Eddie was fussing over the store’s lack of fresh vegetables and other healthy options, when Richie came up next to him, arms overflowing with pork rinds, candy, and other assorted garbage. Eddie sighed deeply.

“I’d like to keep you around for awhile, you know.” He plucked a few of the worst offenders from Richie’s arms and returned them to the shelves.

If it were anyone else, Richie would be offended, but instead he smiled fondly as Eddie continued to grumble about his bad habits. He knew this was Eddie’s love language. Eddie wandered over to the refrigerated section, Richie in tow, and finally found things he was happy with.

“I’m glad the RV has a fridge.” He put some hummus and pre-packaged cut celery sticks in Richie’s hands, followed by some generic brand yoghurt.

Beverly was nearby picking out 2 liters of soda. She gave Richie a look, and he nodded minutely. She quickly made her way to the register while Eddie read the labels of the various carrot juices.

As Richie and Eddie headed for the check out, Eddie spotted something on a shelf and began cackling. “Ok, I found some cookies we can buy.”

Richie cocked an eyebrow, ready to be presented with some horrible karab chip vegan bricks, but instead was surprised when Eddie held up a package of off brand Oreos. Then he saw the name: _Creme Betweens_. He began to laugh so hard, he was physically shaking, and nearly dropped some of their food. “Oh my fucking god, we have to get those!”

Once they had purchased their finds, Eddie went into the RV to put everything away. Richie waited until the door shut, then snuck to the back bumper, where he found Bev holding out a fresh pack of cigarettes, one already lit between her fingers. Richie plucked one from the box and leaned in for Beverly to light it. He took a deep draw and sighed contentedly, smoke blowing through his nose.

“Fuck, that’s good.”

Beverly nodded, blowing a plume of smoke through her lips. “Do you think you’ll quit? For Eddie?”

Richie smiled. “Yeah.” Another drag. “So I better enjoy this while I can.”

“Do you remember when we used to smoke under the bleachers during gym?”

Richie chuckled. “How did we never get caught?”

“Just the usual Derry indifference,” she mused. “I remember you ‘complaining’ about Eddie all the time. ‘Oh my god, did you see his stupid, tiny shorts? He stole my favorite pencil again, can you believe that?’” She laughed. “Now I know what that was all about.” She gave him a knowing look.

Richie dropped his cigarette butt to the ground, grinding it out under his shoe. “I was gay and terrified. Complaining and mocking him were my only outlets.”

“I know, sweetie,” Bev said, putting her own cigarette out. “I’m glad you don’t have to be scared any more.”

“Let’s go with ‘less scared,’” Richie chuckled. “I still have to come out publicly.”

“How are you going to do that?”

“I dunno … Probably tell some gay sex jokes, sprinkle in some self-deprecating humor, hope for the best.”

Beverly placed a comforting hand on his arm. “People will accept you. It’s not like it was back then.”

Richie gave her a small smile. “I hope so.” He kissed her on the cheek, causing her to giggle, then they both got back into the RV, where the others were waiting.

Bill was in the driver’s seat with Mike beside him. Ben was sat at the booth, so Beverly sat down opposite him. Eddie was reclining on the bed; Richie happily threw himself next to him. Eddie yelped when Richie’s weight caused him to bounce on the mattress. He then produced the package of _Creme Betweens_ from beside him, and they made terrible jokes and laughed as they ate them.

~*~

Eddie opened his eyes. He was back in the decrepit kitchen of the house on Neibolt. Perhaps he had never left. Perhaps all of the wonderful things that had happened were just a fever dream his brain concocted as he stood frozen in the corner and watched helplessly as Stan’s horrifying head attacked Richie.

He wanted so desperately to help Richie, but he was paralyzed with fear. Not fear of Pennywise or the arachnid monstrosity that bore their friend’s face, but fear of losing Richie. Which was so stupid and contradictory, but he still could not budge; the fear was overwhelming. His head was fuzzy with it; he couldn’t breathe. He barely registered Bill’s screams to help them. His eyes were locked on Richie.

Suddenly, Stan’s head turned to look him directly in the eye, flashing an evil grin, then plunged one of his legs into Richie’s eye, right through his glasses. Richie’s body stopped struggling and fell still.

Eddie was screaming. He felt hands on him and struggled.

Eddie opened his eyes. He was lying on the RV’s tiny bed, Richie leaning over him, shaking him, yelling his name.

“Eds! Wake up! It’s just a nightmare!”

“R-Richie!” he managed to choke out before breaking into tears. He pulled Richie down and buried his face in his shoulder as he sobbed. “I’m so sorry, Rich! I was so scared!”

Richie held him tightly and ran a comforting hand down his side. “It’s ok, Eds, I’m here.”

Eddie was sure the others were watching, equally concerned, but he just wanted to hold Richie close and revel in the fact that he was still alive. Even as self-loathing threatened to consume him.

Eventually, Eddie’s sobs turned to small sniffles, his breathing evened out, and he started to relax. Richie stroked his hair gently and murmured that everything was ok.

“Hang on a sec,” he said as he stood.

Eddie’s fingers clenched around air as Richie left the bed, and he felt adrift.

Richie shared a look with the others before loosening the privacy curtain and drawing it around the bed. He then climbed back to Eddie and enveloped him in his arms. “You wanna talk about it?”

Eddie took a deep breath. “I was back at Neibolt, just watching as Stan attacked you. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t even breathe … I was just going to let him kill you.” A fresh sob wracked his body. “I’m such a coward.”

Richie leaned back and tilted Eddie’s tear streaked face until they were looking into each other’s eyes. “Edward Kaspbrak, you are no coward. You’re one of the bravest people I’ve ever known.”

Eddie did his best to maintain eye contact, even though he felt he didn’t deserve it. “But Richie, I-”

“You froze up,” Richie shrugged. “You’d suffered a lot leading up to that moment, and it overwhelmed you. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Besides, you saved me later, didn’t you?”

Eddie nodded minutely, but wasn’t convinced.

“To be honest, if I’d been stabbed in the face by a crazy person and gotten a face full of leper vomit, I’d have probably gone all BSoD a lot sooner than you did,” he chuckled. “I think Pennywise was scared of you, and that’s why he went after you the hardest.”

Eddie’s eyes widened in shock. “Do you really think that?”

Richie nodded and brushed some of Eddie’s hair back off his forehead. “I understand if you can’t forgive yourself for freezing up, but just know that I never questioned your bravery or love or anything. And I don’t even need to forgive you because in my eyes you did nothing wrong.”

More tears slipped down Eddie’s cheeks and he pulled Richie as close to him as was physically possible. “When the others were attacked, sure I was scared, but when it was you ... I was literally petrified. Losing you is every nightmare I've ever had.”

Richie wrapped both arms around Eddie. “All that shit is in the past now, ok? Now there’s just you and me; just us. And probably some therapy cause I’m pretty sure we all have PTSD to varying degrees.”

They eventually emerged from behind the curtain when the RV came to an unscheduled stop on the side of the road.

“Bill had to piss,” Mike explained. “Does anyone else want a shot at driving this thing?”

Beverly immediately stood from the booth and plopped down in the driver’s seat. She fumbled with the controls for a bit to adjust the seat for her tiny legs.

Richie and Eddie wedged themselves into the little booth seat opposite Ben, sitting shoulder to shoulder.

When Bill emerged from the bathroom and noticed everyone in their new spots, he announced he was going to take a nap and commandeered the bed.

Beverly slowly eased them back onto the road. It took a few hard stops before she got the hang of the RV’s sensitive breaks, but she was soon smiling as they continued on their way.

Richie reached over Eddie’s head and grabbed a notepad someone had left on the counter.

“Whatcha doin?” Eddie asked.

“I’m going to start writing my own material again,” Richie explained, twirling a pen in his fingers.

Ben looked surprised. “Why’d you stop in the first place?”

“To be honest, I think it’s because I forgot the people who I wanted to tell jokes to,” he explained, looking from Eddie to Mike to Ben. “The longer I was away from Derry, the more my memories faded, I just … lost my inspiration. I knew I wanted to tell jokes, but the people I wanted to make laugh weren’t there any more, and I didn’t even fucking realize it.”

Eddie placed a comforting hand on Richie’s thigh and squeezed.

“Plus, what better way to come out than by telling shitty gay jokes at my own expense!”

Eddie rolled his eyes dramatically.

Richie scrawled down ideas and notes for nearly an hour, occasionally reading some out loud. He put multiple exclamation points next to bits that got a laugh out of the Losers, and reworked others that fell flat.

He cleared his throat and recited from the page, “Have you ever been making out with a beautiful girl and thought, ‘This is nice and all, but wouldn’t it be great if she had stubble and an Adam’s apple? Just me? Shit, I might be gay.’”

Beverly snorted loudly from the front. Even Eddie couldn’t hide his chuckle.

“Do I have permission to talk about you, babe?”

Eddie thought about it for a moment. “Yes, but no jokes about my mom. And don’t make me sound like a dick.”

Richie scoffed, feigning offense. “By the time I’m done, the crowd’s gonna think I’m fucking an actual angel!”

Eddie rolled his eyes, but his hand squeezed Richie's thigh fondly.

Another few hours passed as they made their way south through New England. The sun was beginning to set, and Eddie decided it was his turn to drive. Richie kicked Ben out of the passenger seat and swiveled it around so he could watch Eddie’s profile as he frowned his way through all the controls.

Mike climbed onto the loft bed above the cab with a book. Bill set up his laptop at the booth and set to work on a new novel outline. Ben and Bev sat cross-legged on the bed and played card games.

Once the sun had officially fallen below the horizon, Eddie fiddled with the knobs on the steering wheel until he found the headlights.

“Who the fuck designed this?” he muttered to himself. “Not user friendly at all.”

“You ready to switch?” Richie offered.

Eddie shook his head and smiled quickly at Richie, not taking his eyes off the road for too long. “Its kinda nice, being on the open road. I’m so used to all the traffic in New York.”

“Wait ‘til you get to LA,” Richie chuckled. “Those people are crazy. The 405 is an actual nightmare.”

“I’m sure I’ll get used to it.” He smiled fondly as he stared out the windshield. “Where exactly do you live anyway?”

“Pasadena,” Richie replied. “It’s a pretty cute, old town. Has the first Trader Joe’s.” He wiggled his eyebrows like that was a huge appeal.

Eddie laughed. “Do you have a house there? I’ve heard the prices are absurd.”

“I do, and they are. Luckily, I’m moderately famous and make decent money. You’ll have to pay rent, though …”

Eddie rolled his eyes at the joke. “Can my rent be sucking your dick?”

“Fuck yeah, it can,” Richie crooned.

Bill cleared his throat and closed his laptop with a loud click. “I’m going to bed,” he announced.

Richie tittered like a twelve year old.

Bill folded the table against the wall, and pulled out the extra cushions that converted the booth into a small bed. Luckily, he was a short man. Soon, the gentle snores of their friends filled the RV, signalling that all were asleep.

“Hey,” Richie whispered.

“Yeah?”

“I’ve got something I want to show you.” Richie stood and went to one of the cabinets where he stored his messenger bag. After rifling through it, he returned twiddling something in his hands. “So, uh … When we were all in the clubhouse, and I was fucking around in the shadows-”

“Being an ass,” Eddie interjected.

“I found something I’d made for you that summer, but never had the balls to actually give you …”

Eddie fell quiet for a moment, glancing at Richie. “What … What is it?”

“It’s just a silly mixtape,” Richie replied, holding up the old cassette. Written in marker on the memo section were a familiar R+E and a couple of hearts. “I barely remember what’s on it, honestly. I’m sure it’s super cringey-”

“Oh, Rich.” Eddie’s eyes were glassy and he swallowed audibly. “I want to hear it.”

Richie smiled and fumbled for the RV’s cassette player. He may have demanded an older model from the rental place for this very purpose, but he’d never admit it. The first few seconds were clearly an ad that Richie had recorded the tail end of, and then-

_Well, here we are again_   
_I guess it must be fate_   
_We've tried it on our own_   
_But deep inside we've known_   
_We'd be back to set things straight …_

Richie’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. “Wow, thirteen year old me was prescient …”

“Is that Cher?”

Richie scoffed. “Of course, its Cher. Expect it to only get gayer from here.”

They sang along to several of the songs, including _I Think We’re Alone Now_, giggled at some of the cringier ones, but mostly reminisced about that summer.

When _Eddie My Love_ by The Chordettes came on, Richie explained how hard it had been to find a recording for the tape, then dramatically lip synced along while Eddie grinned.

_I’ll Be Loving You (Forever)_ earned an exasperated groan from Eddie.

Richie shrugged. “I was a dumb, scared, gay preteen. What do you want from me?”

“I fucking love you,” Eddie laughed.

“I love you, too, Eduardo.”

“Is that New Kids on the Block?” came Ben’s groggy voice from the back of the RV.

Beverly let out a shrill laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the ridiculous playlist I made for Richie's [mixtape!](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4TqHUczjK2tuTqZy3nVzle?si=CyZu0ni6Toy0ArBycrb-jA) Most of the songs are from 1989 so Richie would be able to record them from the radio.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are always appreciated :D


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